PROVIDENCE — Lawyers for suspended Barrington police Sgt. Joseph Andreozzi, who was convicted last month by a jury on charges of obstructing the judicial system and cyber-harassment, have filed notice...

Comment

By
Michael P. McKinney
Posted Aug. 3, 2013 @ 12:01 am

PROVIDENCE — Lawyers for suspended Barrington police Sgt. Joseph Andreozzi, who was convicted last month by a jury on charges of obstructing the judicial system and cyber-harassment, have filed notice to appeal.

The notice of appeal was signed July 24 and received July 29 by the clerk’s office at the state Supreme Court, which would hear an appeal.

Andreozzi, of Pawtucket, is also scheduled for a Sept. 13 motion for a new trial in Superior Court.

The prosecution alleged at trial that Andreozzi, of Pawtucket, sent harassing text messages to his former wife, who lived in Barrington, last Aug. 29 and that, after his arrest, he allegedly used a computer system to remotely remove the messages from his state police-seized phone.

But the defense said there was never an intention to obstruct justice; Andreozzi simply was trying to remove personal information that had nothing to do with the case. He knew the state police would have the messages from his former wife’s phone and that they could –– and did –– get the messages from his phone through his service provider, the defense said. The defense also said there were other messages in which Andreozzi expressed kindness and love toward his former wife, saying they had a more complex relationship and were simply having a disagreement. The defense described him as a good father who has provided well for their children and has been active in their lives.